Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

HA! I beat an AI in UNO twice in a row.

Sorry to butt in,

It should have an affect if it is a game that isn't offered on all systems even though it isn't a first party game and the systems snubbed could run it. People have console preferences, and imo multiplats should be offered on any system that can run it, so that people can make their own choice on where they want to play. I don't have disney afternoon collection for the same reason. I want to play on switch and since the switch can run those games, I don't think that nintendo should have been excluded. While of course there are logistics behind that like, if the devs know how to program for switch, it is the publisher's job to outsource if needed imo to publish an optimized game on as many viable systems as possible.

Console choice matters to me too, and here's why...

Switch is the only platform that's hybrid handheld. I've reached a point where I lose interest in any game that's not available to be played on the TV, and in handheld mode, and in tabletop mode as a portable console unit.

I've tried. But every time what happens is, I start a game on say, the PS5, or XSX, and get an hour or two in. Then I go to work the next day and bring my Switch OLED. While at work, I can't play that same game so I play something else, and when I get home I just keep playing that other game. The appeal of going back to a game trapped at home on my TV is quite low. It's like, why play this game when I'm not gonna be able to stay into it. Bouncing back and forth takes me out of the experience

If all consoles were hybrid, or all consoles were TV-tethered, I don't think I'd care. But those differences in freedom of how and when you play have a real impact on platform appeal.

@Dev9417 I can't blame you, I loved DuckTales Remastered on the Wii U. Though they made it for last gen platforms, that'd be cool to have it on Switch as well. It is on Steam, at least, I just checked.

I have a lot of different video game consoles and handhelds at home.
From PS2, PS3, PS4, Wii, Wii U, Switch, NDS Lite, 3DS, PSP.
I felt granted to able to play the games on every video game machines I have, it's like Arcade at home.

Being a console partisan is fine as long as you don't wind up embracing full on irrational tribalism. It's probably nice to have your entire library available on one platform. You also get to explore a console's library more fully if you're not splitting your attention between various devices.

And yeah, in the case of the Switch, the hybrid capabilities of the system mean it's not interchangable at all with other, TV-tethered platforms.

Beat Nier Automata!

Wow what a great game. And what a great Switch version! Game looked fantastic in 1080p on the TV. 720p handheld, good framerate. And HD rumble, which was not in other versions, was a nice extra bonus.

Platinum really is one of my favorite studios. They don't always stick the landing, but when they do, man do they nail it.

Guess I have time to start a 2nd playthrough before Mario Rabbids and Persona 5 Royal this week, and of course, Platinum's finest, Bayonetta 3, the week after.

@Eagly
You weren't lying. This second route is awesome so far!

Though without the context of the first route, it wouldn't be nearly as impressive.

I love it.

Poomba

@Kermit1
Pothead Goombah 😀

@Eagly and that’s fine. You don’t have a console preference. But that doesn’t negate anything that I said. Even if everyone could afford every current system, which we all know they can’t, people still will have a system that they prefer to spend their time or even feel a game is best suited to that system for whatever reason. The switch has NES controllers…made by Nintendo; even if someone prefers another system they may want to play NES games on switch simply because you can best replicate the original experience there.

A lot goes into system preferences: nostalgia, convenience, tech specs, controller… I suspect if the gaming world wasn’t so fragmented, many people would play on 1 system. For the most part PC players do just that for instance.

I suspect if Nintendo put their exclusives on PC (not bringing emulation into this convo) many folks that prefer PC would stop buying a console.

I think Nintendo's the only one of the three where putting their exclusives on PC would be very damaging to their console business given Switch is nowhere near diminishing returns territory.

We've already seen Xbox thrive with day 1 PC releases so there's not much to say on that front. Meanwhile the gap between PS5 and PC is very much in diminishing returns territory. Like with the exception of VR, framerates above 60fps are rather unnecessary and at the moment it's only the 3rd party current gen only games like Gotham Knights that are unable to reach that.

@Grumblevolcano Agree. It wouldn't be a good look for Nintendo to have PC versions vastly outperforming the versions on Nintendo's own hardware, despite the latter having the benefit of portability (Steam deck is a thing though...)

But I'd also say a large factor is the difference in marketing and business models. Although PS and XB exclusives are popular in their own right, people tend to buy into the platforms/ecosystems rather than the specific exclusives. Conversely, the Nintendo brand is highly reliant on its exclusive games.

It is interesting to think about the loss and gain of the Nintendo business strategy. IE, how much money is lost by not making use of multiple platforms versus how much they make by forcing you to engage with their ecosystem, and rarely offering significant discounts on their pillar franchises. They effectively lock you in, you either play at full price on their hardware or don't play at all.

I know people who are pure in on Nintendo have convinced themselves that upscaled 1080p 30fps gaming on the Switch's ancient hardware is fine but that is pure cope and you can be in denial as much as you like. Raw fidelity and high frame rates don't make for great games on their own of course, but as good as Nintendo's design may be, all of it is held back by Nintendo and the Switch.

Who knows, maybe in 20 years we'll get a Xenoblade, or a Pokemon Game, or a Zelda game that looks like Ghost of Tsushima does, but then who knows where everything else will be by then. It does feel like the leap between console generations is getting smaller, so the divide may end up not as significant as it feels right now, but that is cope on my part. As all we have right now is what we have, and the divide started big and is only getting bigger and bigger every year.

@Grumblevolcano most certainly. Exclusives create value add and leverage creative diversity. But I only mentioned if gaming was homogeneous from a practical preference perspective. Since I was talking about console preferences.

(Aggressive nodding)

Well with repairs seemingly out of the question due to the possibility of lost save data (Pokemon has an iron-will grip over me), it seems like I'll have to get a brand new Switch and transfer everything over again (I haven't even had this blasted thing for a year 😡).

To anyone situated in Ireland or is familiar with Irish shops, does anyone know a good place to get a regular Switch on the (relatively) cheap? I don't want a Lite since I play my Switch on the TV a bunch and an OLED is almost certainly out of the question (no matter how badly I want Pokemon SV's one) so if you know any good places for a regular Switch, do let me know. Smyths' regular price is €300 if that helps with what I'm kind of looking to get below (oh, and I am 100% not going to sites like eBay).

Nintendo's console is actually the only one I'd still continue to purchase if all games went to PC, since it's the only platform that offers seamless hybrid play. I gain nothing, really, by purchasing a PS5/XSX vs just upgrading my PC.

Not that this would happen. Nintendo isn't a Western company that prizes raw profit per title above all else. They know there's boundless value in keeping their treasure trove of first-party IP gated behind their own hardware and ecosystem.

@Fizza could you wait a month for the next Pokemon game? There’s likely to be bundle deals for it when it comes out.